First, it is quite obvious that Hollywood has adopted some elements of new age and eastern philosophies, i.e., it believes God could be just about whomever or whatever anyone wants Him/Her/It to be. Hollywood’s God could be some kind of benevolent spirit, floating around throughout the universe. If someone thinks God is just a man or woman, that’s also valid according to Hollywood’s theology. If someone thinks God is a bird, a tree, or a cloud, that’s fine with Hollywood. If someone thinks a little bit of God is in everything living thing, that’s great too.

However, I used the phrase “just about” because not every notion of God will pass Hollywood’s politically correct litmus test. Not surprisingly, the Judeo-Christian notion of God - the one described in Holy Scriptures - doesn’t qualify. God couldn’t possibly be like that, according to Hollywood’s theological standards. That concept of God is too narrow-minded for the Hollywood crowd.

Second, Hollywood holds that God couldn’t care less whether or not we worship Him/Her/It. In fact, He/She/It doesn’t care whether we recognize Him/Her/It or even acknowledge His/Her/Its existence, for that matter. Therefore, a person’s belief system is rendered virtually irrelevant. Churches are only useful for weddings, memorial services, and funerals.

Instead, according to Hollywood, it is possible for an atheist to go to heaven. Hollywood argues that God is not jealous and has no sense of dominion or ownership over His/Her/Its creation. While Hollywood recognizes the fact that God does often intervene in the affairs human beings, it contends that He/She/It has no desire for any kind of permanent relationship with them.

Third, God does not demand that people obey Him/Her/It, nor is He/She/It concerned about certain types of moral values. Since obedience is not a requirement, repentance is never necessary. One’s personal moral turpitude and how one relates to God are non-issues as well. For example, God doesn’t really have a problem with any of the following: homosexual activity, sex between couples that aren’t married to each other, profanity, or the use of God’s name in vain.

Only the moral values governing a person’s treatment of other people matter to God, according to the Hollywood gospel. For example, it’s okay to be a complete hedonist as long as you give your fair share to charity and serve your community. The bottom line is that God’s primary concern is that we do the best we can to be “good” people and model citizens. How we perform in that area will determine whether not we “make it” to heaven. Never mind the fact that this notion creates a theological imbroglio, i.e., how would you ever know how good is good enough?

What is this Hollywood-style theology based on? It is certainly not based on the teachings of the Holy Bible, although the Tinseltown brigade likes to selectively quote from it now and then. Obviously, this theology is based on the way Hollywood would like for things to be. Like many other entities and individuals, Hollywood molds the concept of God into something that fits in well with its own lifestyle and agenda.

True Christians know that, while Jesus (the only path to God) is always waiting for us with open arms, we must come to God on the terms that He has established, and not the other way around. I normally stay away from proselytizing, but that’s just the plain old unvarnished truth.

About the Author: Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist for American Daily and operates his own website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.

Source: www.isnare.com

Mir Baz Khan last week pleaded guilty to violations of the Construction Design & Management Regulations of 2007 as well as the Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974. The case was compelling against Mr. Khan, as prosecutors outlined how the Health and Safety Executive (or HSE) had three times visited an apartment site, which Khan was developing.

During those visits, HSE representatives discovered unsafe conditions with electrical installations, scaffolding, as well as fire hazards. They also cited substandard eating facilities and a lack of sufficient toilets.

Following each visit, HSE inspectors shut down the site. Nonetheless, Khan continued re-opening the sites without HSE authorization.

Rob Cooper, an inspector with HSE who is associated with the case, noted that they had tried unsuccessfully to get Khan to bring the site up to HSE standards. They repeatedly gave him advice on how to do so.

Despite this, Cooper Said, Khan “failed repeatedly” to implement the recommended changes. As a result, Cooper said, “Khan now has a criminal record.”

Don’t fall victim to the wrath of the HSE, get up to date with the latest practices with IOSH training from Workplace Law.

I have been a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant for 16 years and have worked with many different types of physical disabilities and clients with mental illness. When I started scrapbooking 8 years ago, I never realized what a therapeutic value it could have on my life. As the years have gone by I have also recognized the therapeutic values scrapbooking can have for those many different types of physical disabilities and those with mental illness. I have discovered that Scrapbooking has many qualities that can help restore an overall sense of well being, accomplishment, and self-worth, as well as help with physical deficits. Taking photos of loved ones and creating a scrapbook not only showcases familiar photos, but can also display feelings and memorabilia. It is not only the actual “scrapbooking” of pictures, but the memories the pictures reveal, that can be of great value.

I made a 25th Wedding Anniversary album for my parents and which included photos from their childhood as well as photos from the time since they were married. What I learned from rummaging through all these old photos was an invaluable lesson in family heritage. There were places they had been, and family members I did not know and events that were unknown to me until I sorted through these photos and interviewed my parents. The end result was a wonderful memento of their lives and a keepsake we could all cherish and share for generations to come.

Individuals with depression can find comfort in scrapbooking memories from the past. Using the scrapbooking task as a way to help individuals with mental illness stay on task, follow directions and reinforce the need to complete a project are all valuable Life Skills they will need to be productive individuals in the community. Many with mental illness have a sense of hopelessness and low self worth. Scrapbooking can provide these individuals with a great sense of accomplishment.

The physical benefits of scrapbooking became evident to me while working with a young brain injured individual in Rehab. This person used the cropping tools to increase her fine motor skills, as well as the photos to help with memory recall of loved ones and others from her life. Cutting with scissors or a paper trimmer and handwriting journaling helps build good fine motor skills as does using shapes and stencils. Visual/perceptual skills are also utilized with the activity.

Following directions of the therapist or using an idea book help with organizing thoughts and following verbal and written instruction. The organization skills needed to complete a scrapbook page can assist a head injured individual with the skills needed in many aspects of their life, from Activities of Daily Living to work skills for returning to employment. The step by step tasks of building a scrapbook page allow the individual to process information and put the steps together to form a completed task. Then putting all the pages together to form a completed scrapbook reinforces the idea of task completion and the overall understanding of getting an end product from their labor of love.

Overall the craft of scrapbooking can be therapeutic to all of us in some way. The companies that create scrapbooking supplies and tools are often coming out with easier and less complex ways to create scrapbooks. Someone with limited hand motion or cognitive skills can learn to master this wonderful craft with minimal guidance. I highly recommend scrapbooking as a therapeutic tool for anyone and hope that if you know someone who would reap its benefits, you will pass your love of this art form on to them.

Kathy Johnson, COTA
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and
Crop Camp Coordinator

About the Author

Kathy is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and avid scrapbooker for the past 8 years. She lives in Kansas and works in a small hospital full time, and scrapbooks any time she gets the chance. See more about Kathy at www.cropcamp.com

When you go into an auto repair garage most mechanics are certified although some of the smaller garages may have both certified and uncertified mechanics. You will want to talk to the garage manager and to the mechanic that will work on your car to make sure your care is in good hands.

Before you go to an auto repair center check the Internet because you can find a lot of car repair information. It is a good idea to have a general idea of what your car problem may be and how it is fixed. Although doing it yourself is not the way to go, it helps to have an idea of what you need.

Car parts and labor can be expensive when you are getting your car fixed so you want to make sure that you get the best deal that you can. You also want to be sure that the auto mechanic you use is honest and reliable.

Problems With Automotive Mechanics
In some cases you might find mechanics who want to make a little extra money and they may cut corners at the garage. This means that they may create more problems for an unsuspecting car owner by replacing a bad part with a used part.

Although this is illegal in many states, some mechanics do this so that the owner will have to bring the car back again to fix the problem. If a garage is known for doing something like this word will get around. Sometimes an owner will tell mechanics to do this in order to make more money. If you find out that a shop has the reputation for these types of activities it is a good idea not to go to that shop.

How To Find An Auto Mechanic That Is Right For You And Your Car
Some of the most popular ways that people use to find the best auto mechanic are:

Check the Internet
You can review auto mechanic shops in your area by going to the Internet. There are message boards and forums that talk about specific car repair shops and the mechanics who work on their cars. Also, looking for an independent mechanic can sometimes be found at a site like Craigslist. Many of the mechanics found there are looking for a little extra work in addition to what they do at their auto repair shops.

About 20 years ago I developed a software product for large
mainframe computers. Remember that there were no PC’s in those
days; mainframes were the biggest computers normally used by
businesses and those that had them typically had their own staff
of programmers. My software was a tool designed specifically for
those programmers and helped them with testing and debugging.
Naturally, I had to clearly convey the functionality of my
product to my market (corporate programming groups), but it was
complicated to describe. “…a tool that allows your programmers
to manipulate data files and make quick changes and fixes for
testing, debugging, and troubleshooting…” What was that again?

Then one day, like a bolt of lightening, it hit me. My product
is an editor. Period. An “editor”. What a concept! Why didn’t
I think of that before? An editor. Now it is crystal clear.
Programmers know what an “editor” is. My software allows them to
“edit” their data. Bingo! A single word changed my entire
perception of my own product, and enabled me to clearly describe
to my market exactly what it does. It also allowed me to list it
in directories and catalogs where the listings would be most
effective.

Many years ago, the makers of Sweet ‘n Low were in a quandary.
How do they increase their sales when their product is everywhere
already? Being in the sweetener business, they tried to think of
creative ways of selling more Sweet ‘n Low. Then they realized
that they were not in the “sweetener” business after all; they
were in the “packaging” business. Instead of selling more Sweet
‘n Low, why don’t they package other condiments? Catsup,
mayonnaise, relish, mustard, etc. could all be sold to their
existing customer base. A single word changed the direction of
their entire organization.

At one time the train industry was trying to figure out how to
attract more passengers. Then they realized that they were in
the “transportation” business, not the “passenger” business.
Suddenly they had an entirely new market, and began transporting
freight, oil, coal, vehicles, etc. A single word is all it took
to change history.

What is it that you do? Instead, maybe I should ask, “What is it
that you THINK you do?” Ponder that for a moment. Here’s an
exercise: define what you do and write it down in twenty-five
words or less. Be very careful, concise, and clear in your
description. Expand your thinking for a moment: are there any
other words that could be used to describe what you do? One of
those new words just might give you a surprising insight into
what you COULD be doing.

About the Author

Dave Balch generated over $5 million from his home-based
business. He is now a professional speaker, consultant, and
author of “Big Bucks in a Bathrobe”, available 2001. Visit
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com to sign-up for a FREE electronic
newsletter on small/home business, for information on speaking
services, copies of past articles, or to read a free excerpt.
Comments and/or questions are always welcome at 1-800-366-2347 or
mailto:Dave@DaveBalch.com.

On the night of her twenty-eighth birthday, Ben told her he had something special in store for her. Heather felt a twinge of discomfort but told herself she was overreacting. Ben tended to over-dramatize ordinary events, which was part of what made him fun. They enjoyed a fabulous dinner at a beautiful restaurant, then returned to Ben’s place so he could present her with his gift.

Heather was amused to discover that Ben had set up a treasure hunt in his apartment. In each of the rooms he’d planted objects containing small folded notes. On each note he’s written an obscure message which would lead her to the next clue. Ben pointed out the location of the first clue, then left her to discover the rest.

Heather’s anxiety began to mount as she reached the sixth clue. She found it in Ben’s walk-in closet, just after she stumbled across three long dart blowers hidden behind his clothes. She’d already noticed the gun cases under the bed. At that moment Ben called out from the living room, “As soon as you find it, I’ll shoot us!” Her imagination went into overdrive.

Two minutes later she found the box. It was large and beautifully wrapped. Inside it was a smaller box, and inside that one a third. When she opened the fourth box she saw the diamond ring. Heather was stunned.

By now Ben was beside her. He looked at her face and decided she was overcome with gratitude. “You don’t have to say anything now,” he murmured. “Just nod if you want to marry me.”

Heather calculated her chances. Did he have any poison darts handy? Could she reach the front door before he opened a gun case? No, she decided. She’d have to tough it out.

“What on earth possessed you to buy this for me?” she blurted.

Ben hesitated but quickly recovered. “It doesn’t have to be an engagement ring,” he backpedaled. “Just accept it as a birthday gift. You can always change your mind later.”

“But I can’t accept something like this,” Heather explained. “I can’t stand wearing jewelry.”

Ben was so caught up in his fantasy that he hadn’t noticed the blatantly obvious. On both counts.

Heather was relieved to discover that the only shooting Ben intended that night was with his camera. But the celebratory mood was over and she left shortly afterwards, minus the ring. She didn’t go out with Ben again.

Have you ever miscalculated with a gift? Perhaps not as blatantly as Ben did but there may have been times when you gave the wrong thing to the right person or the right thing to the wrong person. And then wondered why they didn’t seem particularly grateful.

Gift giving involves thought and a certain amount of premeditation. If you don’t know what to buy, ask. It doesn’t have to be the person himself (or herself); you can ask their father, mother, sister or best friend. Just make sure it’s someone who knows them well and can tell you what they would like. And don’t count on someone’s response on a previous occasion. Many people won’t tell you if they don’t appreciate a gift in an effort to spare your feelings.

Putting thought into your gift selection is usually worth the effort. And perhaps the best thing about receiving a gift you love is the feeling that the other person knows you so well that they knew exactly what to choose.

About the Author

Marguerite Bonneville is a former NLP Master practitioner who now works full-time creating informational web sites. Her latest project is a joint venture site called Romantic Gift Ideas Online, located at http://www.romantic-gift-ideas-online.com

South America’s most famous ski resorts are located in Patagonia with good ski bargains. Amongst the centre of of both one will be able to locate numerous snowboarding areas. The most notable skiing resort in South America is addressed by many Mini Schweiz and whenever you travel there you’ll think that you’re in Switzerland with the fine looking Schweiz homes as good as your luxury accommodation Chamonix. The ski mountain has apartments, a sports centre, clubs, and everything to create a fabulous skiing trip. The largest skiing area in S America is in Chile. Set hardly 40 m from the international airport one can arrive there with a short ride after flying in direct from several major towns among them Berlin, Paris, Rome, London and Manchester.

After determining the size of the mattress you need, the two factors to consider are firmness and construction. Firmness refers to the comfort of the mattress and making sure that it is consistent across all areas. Construction refers to how the mattress is manufactured. A more expensive bunk bed mattress will often have thicker padding, higher coil counts, better wire gauge and/or a mattress pad.

Interestingly, while coil count is typically directly correlated with the cost of a mattress, it has only a small impact on durability. When a mattress sags, rather, it is caused by the padding. As a result, when comparing two bunk bed mattresses, you should look for the one with thicker, better quality padding.

Unfortunately, the bedding industry is marketing-crazed in that retailers often bombard customers with irrelevant and inaccurate information in hopes of selling the highest priced items. Be sure to avoid any hype and seek a durable, thickly padded mattress. Shopping online, and comparing prices across websites, also helps to avoid the marketing hype.

About the Author

Bunk Beds Info provides information on the types of bunk beds that are available, and how and where to buy a bunk bed. Bunk Beds Info is the sister site of Murphy Beds Web.

It was only until the actual year of 1430 that prescription sunglasses came about in China from the fair country of Italy. The sunglasses from Italy were also obviously darkened, but they were darkened for court cases as well.

The experimentation of tinting lenses came from a man named James Ayscough in the 18th Century. He as well, did not seek sunglasses as protecting your eyes from the rays of the sun, but for the correction of vision impairments.

When the 20th Century hit is when we start to see the wide range of the sunglasses popularity. This was the time period where they started to realize that sunglasses would be a great help to protect your eyes from the sun. They were first sold in the Atlantic City, New Jersey. When the year of 1930 struck was when everyone had to own a pair.

In 1960 sunglasses started to develop their actual style for fashion. There you have some new knowledge of sunglasses! What would we do without them?

About the Author

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Vision-Doctor.com. He provides more laser eye surgery, sunglasses and cheap contact lenses and other vision information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.